How and When to Harvest Lavender
- dogwoodhillslav
- Jul 2
- 6 min read
One of the most common questions I hear at farmers markets is, "How do I harvest my lavender?"
Many people tell me that they've had lavender plants growing in their gardens for years, but they've never harvested them because they were afraid of doing it wrong. Others have picked a stem or two to enjoy indoors but have never gathered a full harvest from the plant.
The good news is that harvesting lavender is much simpler than most people think. With a little understanding of when to harvest and where to make your cuts, you can enjoy beautiful fresh bouquets, fragrant dried bundles, culinary lavender, or handmade lavender products—all from the same plant.
Why Harvest Timing Matters
The ideal time to harvest lavender is when only 2–3 flowers on each flower spike have opened and most of the buds are still closed. Harvesting at this stage gives you the longest-lasting fragrance, the best color after drying, and the highest oil content.
Many people assume they should wait until the entire flower spike is in bloom before harvesting. While you certainly can, you'll sacrifice many of the qualities that make lavender so enjoyable.
Fully open flower spikes have a shorter vase life, the dried flowers are more likely to shatter from the stems, and the beautiful purple blooms often dry to a dull brown color. The fragrance also changes, becoming less sweet and fresh than lavender harvested at its peak.
The Best Time of Day to Harvest
Not only is knowing when to harvest according to blooming stage important but when you harvest during the day is important as well. Ideally you will want to harvest in the morning after the dew has dried off. This is when the flowers have the highest oil content. This is not only important for essential oil production but also for a strong long-lasting scent. However, I rarely get to harvest at this time, so I harvest when I get home from work in the late afternoon. While not ideal, I haven’t had any issues with vase life, scent, or drying durability in my lavender.
While morning is ideal, don’t let a busy schedule keep you from harvesting your lavender and enjoying it. Harvest when you can harvest and don’t sweat it. Bloom stage is much more important than when you harvest – if the stems are dry.
Understanding the Lavender Stem
Before you make your first cut, it's helpful to understand the three different parts of a lavender stem. Knowing the difference will help you harvest confidently without damaging the plant.
When you look at your lavender plants you will see 3 different “areas” of growth. At the base you will see the “trunk” of the plant, commonly called the woody part. You can tell this area by the bark-like appearance on the stem. This is the one area that you want to avoid cutting in. Occasionally you may need to remove a stray branch growing above the rest of the plant. While a small corrective cut is usually fine, avoid routinely cutting into the woody portion of the plant.
As you go up the stem you will see an area that is a mixture of green and brown. This area is known as the “semi-wood” part. When I harvest, this is the area where I make my cuts. Cutting in the semi-woody area encourages the plant to produce fresh new growth, which will become future flower spikes.
Next, we have the actual flower spikes themselves, which is also called the “green” part of the stem. If you don’t want to cut down into the semi-wood part of the stem, you can cut anywhere you want in this area, and it won’t hurt the plant. Keep your intended use in mind when deciding where to cut. Longer stems work well for drying and bouquets, while shorter stems may be perfectly fine for culinary or craft projects.
Harvesting an Entire Plant or Just a Few Stems
When we harvest, we wait until most of the blooms are ready to harvest and then we harvest the whole plant all at once. This usually means that some stems are overly mature, most are just right, and others range from very immature to just immature. This is how many commercial lavender farms harvest. Home gardeners have a little more flexibility. You can harvest just a few stems as they reach the ideal stage, or you can wait and harvest the entire plant at once. Both methods work well—it simply depends on how you plan to use your lavender. That is the beauty of the home garden, flexibility that farms like Dogwood Hills don’t have.
Choosing Harvesting Tools
Over the years I have collected a fair number of scars on my hand from harvesting my lavender, so let’s talk tools for a bit. I started out using scissors to harvest my lavender. Now I use a handheld harvesting knife made for lavender. This has made my harvesting time much faster and smoother, but for the home gardener, scissors/pruners will work just fine. But my one staple that I will not harvest without are my cut resistant gloves. These babies have SAVED my fingers and hands. Once again this is for my farm, for you as a home gardener, garden gloves and awareness of where your hands and scissors will be fine.
If you spend any time on the internet, you will see numerous articles about proper harvesting tools for lavender on the internet. Many articles claim that scissors crush the stems while harvesting knives make a cleaner cut that's easier on the plant. I have tried both ways over the years, and both ways harvest well and my plants have done well after each harvest. My hands, not so much, I got blisters with the scissors even with gloves. So, while I would recommend getting a harvesting knife if you have several plants, it is not needed. Use whatever tool you already have and don't let the "perfect" tool keep you from harvesting your lavender. The best harvesting tool is the one that gets those beautiful stems into your home to be enjoyed.
Common Harvesting Mistakes
Harvesting too late
Waiting until every flower is open reduces fragrance, shortens vase life, and results in poorer-quality dried lavender
Harvesting when stems/plant is wet
Always allow dew or rainwater to dry before harvesting to help prevent mold formation during drying
Cutting into the woody growth
To avoid damaging or possibly killing your lavender plant, avoid cutting into the central woody growth of your plant
Making bundles too large (if drying)
Kind of along the same lines of waiting for your plants to be dry when harvesting, making your bundles too big when drying will reduce the amount of air flow inside the bundles which will promote mold growth
Being afraid to harvest at all
Harvesting lavender is an experience that helps you not only enjoy your lavender outside, but also inside as well. Don’t be afraid to make that first snip.
Dogwood Hills Field Note
One of the biggest things I’ve learned over the years is that harvesting lavender doesn’t have to be perfect. Focus on harvesting at the right bloom stage, avoid cutting into the woody growth, and enjoy the process.
If life gets busy and you miss the “perfect” harvest window, that’s ok too. Harvest those stems when you can. Your plant will reward you with fresh growth and another chance to enjoy it next season.
Every season is another opportunity to learn.
Enjoy the Harvest
Harvesting lavender is a fun and relaxing experience. You get to spend time in the garden, watch the bees and butterflies’ flit from one stem to another, and to immerse yourself in the wonderful scent of lavender. The next time your lavender is blooming, don’t be afraid to get out there and bring that lavender inside. Every season teaches us something new. Don’t worry about making every cut perfect – just enjoy the process and the beauty your lavender brings into your home.
Comments